“A World Of Wonder And Delight”: Christmas Messages 2011…
- December 26th, 2011
- Posted by EUEditor
Christmas celebrations in 2011 were marked with calls for the protection of innocents, love of family, and salvaging of the Earth itself.
Pope Benedict XVI in Rome said the earth was “stained with blood”, praying for the victims of war in the Middle East and the Horn of Africa, and for victims of natural disasters.
The Christian festival, as sometimes will happen, saw the creation of martyrs. More than forty people were killed in a round of bigotry and religious hysteria in Nigeria, by bombs set off while they were in church, on Christmas Day (25.12.11). Blasts were recorded in the capital, Abuja, Jos in the centre of the country, and other places, in the North-east. Friction between Christian and Islamic communities in Nigeria has got worse in recent years. … Read More »
Pope Benedict XVI, visiting Croatia this weekend, has declared it very much a part of Europe, saying its aspirations to join the European Union are “logical, just and necessary”. 
Some one-million people were present in St Peter’s Square (1.5.11) for the beatification of the late Pope John-Paul II (picture); the great event not quite eclipsing ongoing tensions within the Catholic Church. 
Britain’s Royal wedding happened on Friday 29th April amid churchbells, some pageantry and cheers from very large crowds. 
Is the ban on an ABC comedy team covering the Royal Wedding this Friday (29.4.11) a serious matter or not?
World news during the religious season this weekend has focused on the violence in Syria, with some 100 believed killed by security forces over two days (22-23.4.11).
Elections this month (17.4.11) in Finland produced another installment in the rise of support for militant groups against continuing immigration.